Articles tagged with Atmospheric Science
The American Meteorological Society has partnered with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide IPCC authors with access to peer-reviewed scientific publications. This collaboration ensures equitable access to critical climate science for researchers worldwide, particularly those from developing countries and fac...
A new study provides a tool to quantify responsibility for PM 2.5 pollution, highlighting the impact of cross-state pollution on public health. The research highlights inequality in pollution across US states, with some facing disproportionate health risks and responsibilities.
Residential wood burning accounts for over one-fifth of wintertime exposure to outdoor fine particulate matter, linked to increased risks of heart disease and premature death. By reducing indoor wood burning, Americans could decrease outdoor air pollution and save thousands of lives.
Amanda Staudt will lead the American Meteorological Society, advancing the atmospheric and related sciences for public safety, economic security, and environmental stewardship. With extensive experience in connecting science to society, Staudt aims to bring people together to amplify AMS's voices.
Researchers studied unique clouds around Mount Fuji, classifying them into subtypes and determining occurrence frequencies. Tsurushi clouds were generated by mountain waves, while Hata clouds displayed different seasonal patterns, indicating a distinct cloud category.
Researchers analyzed airglow images from China's Meridian Project to identify seasonal differences in atmospheric gravity waves. The study found longer wavelengths at Dandong and shorter wavelengths at Lhasa, with varying intensities and propagation speeds.
The Nagoya University ISEE Award has recognized Professor Hiroyuki Yamada's pioneering work on high-altitude penetration flight observation techniques for typhoons. His research enabled scientists to observe the complete vertical structure of typhoons, providing unprecedented data on storm intensity.
A new compound has been developed that can absorb carbon dioxide directly from untreated ambient air, outperforming existing methods. The compound's ease of releasing captured CO2 is a key advantage, as it only requires heat at 70°C.
The American Meteorological Society has elected Rick Spinrad as its 2026 president-elect. A renowned oceanographer, Spinrad will serve a one-year term before becoming the AMS president in 2027. The five newly elected council members are Marilyn Averill, Julie Demuth, Jordan Gerth, Maureen McCann, and Aaron Piña.
Contrails formed from plane exhaust meet icy air, growing into threads that trap heat and contribute to warming the planet. Combining images from geostationary and low-Earth-orbiting satellites may provide a more complete picture of contrail life and radiative properties.
A new study reveals that recent changes in air pollution are not the main reason for Earth's increasing energy imbalance. Cloud changes, driven by surface warming and natural climate variability, largely outweigh the effects of aerosol reductions.
The American Meteorological Society (AMS) urges the US government to maintain and strengthen NSF NCAR, a critical resource for weather forecasting and climate science. This would lead to further forecast improvements that benefit the nation's safety and economy.
Researchers found that leads in sea ice significantly influence atmospheric chemistry and cloud formation, altering regional atmospheric composition. This creates a feedback loop that accelerates sea-ice melt and amplifies Arctic warming.
Recent research reveals that volcanic eruptions can cause unpredictable weather patterns, including volcanic rain, dust storms, and unstable Antarctic air. The study also found that the Antarctic surface atmosphere has become less stable and more prone to gravity waves since the 1950s.
A new study reveals that Southeast Asia is a significant source of climate-warming gases, with deforestation and fossil fuel use leading the way. The region's natural carbon sinks are being overwhelmed, making it challenging for countries to reach climate neutrality without urgent regional action.
A new study reveals that contrails contribute substantially to aviation's climate impact, accounting for 15% of global emissions. Optimizing flight routes can reduce contrail formation and associated climate costs, providing airlines and policymakers with tools for climate optimization.
Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences quantify the role of climate change in wildfires and air quality, finding that 60-82% of total burned area in western US forests is directly attributable to warming temperatures and drier conditions caused by climate change.
A new study uses high-resolution GHGSat satellite observations to estimate facility-level methane emissions from thousands of oil, gas, and coal facilities globally. The findings provide a more detailed picture of global inventories and offer insights for mitigation strategies.
Researchers discovered high concentrations of Benzothiazoles in outdoor airport PM10, indicating significant input from airport activities. The findings suggest specific chemical markers for tracing airport non-exhaust emissions into the air.
A team of researchers emphasizes the need for an intelligent observation network to track and forecast tropical cyclones. By combining unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater vehicles, they aim to create a dynamic observation network across the atmosphere, ocean surface, and water column.
A study published in Science Advances found that unusually large particles of wildfire smoke had a significant cooling effect on the region they were observed in, increasing outgoing radiation by 30-36% compared to smaller smoke particles. This effect has not been included in current climate models.
Researchers at the University of Maryland analyzed air samples from College Park, Md., and found that chemical compounds from Canada's historic 2023 fires persisted in the atmosphere, forming an 'atmospheric soup.' The study provides insights into the long-term effects of wildfire smoke on human health and the environment.
Researchers suggest a novel approach to mitigate contrails' climate effect by shortening their lifespan. The method involves introducing tiny ice-nucleating particles into aircraft engine exhaust, creating fewer but larger ice crystals that fade quickly and trap less heat.
Researchers found significant SF6 emissions in Heilbronn region, amounting to approximately 30 tons per year, and exceeding previous estimates. The study aims to validate bottom-up assessments of emissions by complementing top-down emission estimates.
The 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society will focus on the intersection of technology and human decision-making in weather, water, and climate sciences. The meeting will feature keynote presentations, Presidential Sessions, and named symposia highlighting key Earth science topics.
Researchers found sulfur-containing molecules in ancient Earth's atmosphere, which could have supplied life with building blocks like amino acids. The discovery challenges the idea that these molecules emerged after life already formed, suggesting a more complex role for the environment in life's origin.
Researchers at ISTA and others have discovered a previously unknown cyclic climate pattern, known as TWISO, which influences weather fluctuations and seasonal changes. This finding has implications for predicting tropical storms and saving lives.
Researchers investigate how adjacent cities exacerbate each other's heat island effects. A study also highlights the need for improved hindcasting infrastructure in climate science. Additionally, a campaign monitors pinned clouds over industrial sources of heat and finds that trees are more reliable against heat stress than buildings.
Researchers have discovered that sudden shifts in the Southern Westerly Winds 15,000 years ago triggered a massive growth of ancient bogs across the Southern Hemisphere. The study found that the shifting winds created an ideal climate for the swamps to form, and now believe they play a crucial role in regulating carbon stores in peatland.
A team of scientists has uncovered evidence of ancient wildfires during the Early Triassic epoch, about 250 million years ago. The findings suggest that wildfires played a significant role in shaping ecosystems during this time period, contrary to previous assumptions based on a lack of charcoal in the geologic record.
A research team led by Professor Shushi Peng has estimated global biological nitrogen fixation for natural land ecosystems, revealing substantial biases in widely used Earth System Models. The team found that the models underestimate natural terrestrial nitrogen fixation by up to 18%, with a multi-model mean of ~67.7 Tg N yr-1.
The study reveals that North America and Europe will experience significant warming (3.7-3.8°C) and drought expansion by the end of the 21st century due to land-air coupling, which amplifies the impact of GHG emissions. If uncontrolled, this could lead to severe climate risks, including reduced Gross Primary Productivity.
Jülich researchers found that long-lived contrails usually form within existing natural ice clouds, rather than clear skies. This has significant climate implications, as contrail cirrus clouds can enhance the warming greenhouse effect or have a cooling effect depending on surrounding conditions.
Scientists propose 'Environmental Catalytic Cities' with self-purification function to remove air pollutants, using stable and green catalytic materials. This technology could mitigate urban air pollution without extra energy consumption.
A team led by UMD astronomers has created the first three-dimensional temperature map of a planet orbiting another star, revealing distinct temperature zones and water vapor breakdown. The new technique lays the groundwork for future explorations of faraway planets.
Researchers at Kyushu University found that rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in shortwave radio communications, including systems used for air traffic control and maritime communication. The ionosphere's cooling due to global warming causes a decrease in air density and accelerates wind circulation.
A new study reveals that the Arctic climate system is experiencing a 'pushing and triggering' mechanism, leading to an increase in extreme events such as heatwaves, sea ice loss, and ice sheet melt. The probability of these events has increased by 20-83% since 2000, with severe consequences for the region's future.
Research shows strong Midwest summer storms can puncture the stratosphere, bringing aerosols and burning biomass from western wildfires. This could affect the ozone layer's stability and warm the stratosphere.
A novel AI optimization model called GAN-Solar has been developed to address the technical bottleneck of accurate short-term solar forecasting. The model achieves significant improvements on key metrics compared to existing advanced models, producing high-definition forecasts that capture crucial details.
The Sahara Desert is expected to see a significant increase in rainfall by the second half of the 21st century, with some regions experiencing up to 25% more precipitation. Researchers warn that this change will have far-reaching consequences for billions of people in Africa and beyond.
Researchers measured methane and ethane concentrations in Osaka using mobile measurements and found a discrepancy between observed emissions and official estimates. Several areas of elevated methane concentrations were detected, attributed to various overlooked contributors such as industrial plants, restaurants, and biological sources.
A recent study found that UK heatwaves have led to unseasonable drying of vegetation, bypassing natural ecological processes that limit the spread of wildfires. The extreme heat conditions increased the risk of wildfire incidents, with a 500% increase in 999 calls and 14 major incidents during the 2022 heatwave.
Recent research from the American Meteorological Society reveals a false global heat record, suggests that severe weather events are increasing in frequency, and predicts an expansion of fire-prone areas. The study also examines the impact of cold wakes on tropical cyclone rainfall and finds that they intensify with global warming.
A study published in Nature Geoscience found that North American ice sheets caused over 30 feet of global sea-level rise between 8,000 and 9,000 years ago. This discovery challenges decades of research and has significant implications for understanding climate change.
Researchers measured gas emissions from 96 US wastewater plants, finding they produce 1.9-2.4 times more nitrous oxide and methane than previously thought. This means taking steps to improve a small number of plants can have a significant impact on overall pollution.
Astronomers have detected phosphine (PH3) in the atmosphere of low-temperature brown dwarf Wolf 1130C using James Webb Space Telescope. The abundance is comparable to that of Jupiter and Saturn, with a value of 0.100 parts per million.
Research from Colorado State University reveals how wildfire smoke combines with existing particulate pollution to create secondary, often more toxic, pollution and contribute to ozone formation. The study found that 90% of aerosol pollution over NYC is sensitive to at least one aspect of global changes, such as high temperatures.
ECMWF is poised to unveil a new phase in its data sharing strategy, providing the complete ECMWF Real-time Catalogue under a Creative Commons licence. The organization will make its forecast data free and open at a 25 km resolution in real time with no latency, starting from October 1st.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University predict that detecting radio waves from the cosmic dark ages can help resolve the nature of dark matter. The study uses computer simulations to show that dense clumps of dark matter formed throughout the Universe, pulling in hydrogen gas and causing it to emit intense radio waves.
A study by University of Arizona researchers found that selecting the right data for flood insurance can significantly improve accuracy, speed, and predictability. The type of data used affects not only payout timing but also confidence in anticipating future payouts, influencing program costs.
A new study examines how three sources of ambiguity impact carbon abatement decisions and finds that they can push policy in different directions. The authors' analysis shows that aversion to climate sensitivity, economic damage, and abatement cost ambiguity can lead to varying levels of abatement.
A new study finds that El Niño increases the likelihood of extreme daily downpours in India's wetter regions, potentially leading to hazardous conditions. The research suggests changes in atmospheric buoyancy and low-pressure system tracks drive this intensification, which has remained steady over time despite regional shifts.
A new study by Purdue University researchers reveals that hurricanes grow in size faster when traveling over locally warm waters, which can help improve daily forecasting of hurricane size and impacts. This discovery has the potential to better model hurricane size in long-term risk models used by industry.
The UK's new weather-health alert system has been deemed successful in supporting vulnerable groups, but minor confusion remains around its color-coded warnings. Researchers identified areas for improvement, including clearer yellow alert scales and simplified alerts for rapid use on the ground.
A new study developed a flood-forecasting AI that can be tuned for any country, reducing errors in national flood prediction programming. The hybrid model combining the AI with the National Water Model was four to six times more accurate, improving forecast accuracy and potential economic impacts of floods.
A new study predicts an increase in western US wildfires sparked by lightning strikes, with 98% of the region seeing more risk days by 2060. The western US is expected to see a significant rise in lightning days, with areas like Oregon and Idaho experiencing up to 12 more days per summer.
A new study finds that wildfires in the western US worsen local air quality but unexpectedly improve air quality in the eastern US due to heat's effect on weather patterns. This overlooked factor significantly alters regional air quality, with climate models overestimating pollution impacts.
Researchers analyzed decades of global weather data to show that African easterly waves strengthen and produce more thunderstorms during La Niña years, impacting local weather patterns and Atlantic hurricane activity.
Research from the University of Utah and Virginia Tech reveals that seasonal shifts in rainfall and snowfall patterns are exacerbating glacier melting across the region. Glaciers in Central Himalaya, Western Himalaya, and Eastern Himalaya are especially vulnerable to accelerated ice loss and water availability threats.
A new Philippine study reveals that the country's hottest days are more likely to produce hail, contradicting its typical balmy climate. The research used satellite and radar data to confirm the presence of strong updrafts and favorable conditions for hailstorms during hot periods.